The invention relates to a method for producing polymer layers on a support by photopolymerization of a polymerizable liquid composition, to a device which is suitable for producing polymer layers on a support, and to a method for producing a sensor which comprises a polymer layer with an indicator embedded therein.
The production of polymer layers on supports is known. For this purpose, a polymerizable liquid is applied in a thickness which is as uniform as possible onto the support and completely polymerized. The polymerization can be started by chemical polymerization initiators or by irradiation of the liquid.
Polymerization techniques known in connection with the production of adhesive films entail a mixture of functionalized acrylate prepolymers being applied to a support and being wholly or partly cured by irradiation of the surface of the polymer composition. The layer thickness of the polymerization is controlled through choice of the intensity and duration of illumination and through the intrinsic absorption of the prepolymers employed.
A disadvantage of the prior art methods is that adjustment of a predetermined and uniform thickness of the polymer layer on the support is often necessarily very complicated. In addition, with conventional polymerization methods the adhesion of the polymer layer to the support is often only low.